"Michael was about to lift the camera on his shoulder (when) a sniper from the other side opened fired and killed him instantly," he said. "The moment he lifted the camera he was shot dead by a sniper."

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John Ryley, head of Sky News, paid tribute to Deane as the very best of cameramen and a brilliant journalist.

The channel's website quoted Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall as saying Deane was "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart ... what a human being."

A Reuters photojournalist, Asmaa Waguih, was shot and wounded covering the clashes in Cairo, Jo Crosby of Reuters in London told CNN. Waguih is currently receiving hospital treatment, Crosby said.

Habiba Abdel Aziz of Gulf News' sister publication, "Xpress," was also killed Wednesday, editor at large Francis Matthew told CNN. She was in Egypt in a personal capacity, not on a work assignment, Matthew said.

'So much more than a cameraman'

CNN anchor Jim Clancy recalled working with Deane in Beirut in 1982, as CNN covered the Israeli invasion and ongoing civil war in Lebanon.

"Mick was so much more than a cameraman and video editor, he was an extremely active journalist who contributed to every aspect of our coverage," he said.

At one point, Clancy's urgings for one more shot meant the CNN team became trapped as warplanes dropped large bombs.

"Mick turned to me, not angrily but sincerely, and looking me straight in the eyes said: 'You know, Clancy, you can get killed here,'" Clancy said.

"It is heartbreaking that someone always looking out for the safety of his colleagues would lose his life covering the story in Cairo, Egypt. I'm heartbroken. I can only imagine the pain being felt by his wife and two sons today and my thoughts and prayers are with them."

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CNN's U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth, recalled how Deane first joined CNN's then-fledgling Rome bureau in 1982 and over time became a good friend as well as "the voice of reason" in the office.

"I guess my main point is how smart, calm and helpful Mick was," Roth said. "He spoke the local language and could quietly charm anyone in our way to a story. The word that always came to me regarding Mick was 'wise'. And his dry humor was superb."

He added, "I can't believe he is gone."

CNN's Tim Schwarz described Deane as "a consummate professional, courageous but careful, never rash. I worked with him in my earliest years in television and he taught me more than anyone ever since."

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said via Twitter: "I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence. My thoughts are with his family and @SkyNews team."

The Foreign Press Association said it is "shocked and appalled" by the news of Deane's death and expressed its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.